How to Win at Poker

Whether you want to win big or just impress at boys' poker night, these tips should help any aspiring woman learn to play.

Nov 23, 2006

World Poker Tour Champion, frequent poker tournament player, and mother of two, Clonie Gowen has provided tips on how to play poker — and win.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

Know your facts — Before you sit down at any table you should freshen up on the rules of your game of choice. Know which hands beat which, and what kind of stakes you are playing for.

Be observant — A huge part of poker is watching other people. Watch what they do, how they do it, and when they do it. Watching people when they are in a hand with other opponents can tell you a lot of information to help you out when you are involved in a pot with them.

Don't be intimidated — Confidence is key! You shouldn't feel timid at the poker table; this is the time to play your confident card.

Have fun — Winning money and socializing is enjoyable, so don't forget to have fun and get your chips in good!

Tips to Bluffing:

You don't have a hand but the pot in the middle is just too good to give up. What should you do? Ah, one of the greatest parts of poker ... bluffing. If you are ready to take a stab at the money but don't have the cards to pick it up, you should attempt to steal the pot by betting and pretending you have a big hand.

Bluffing is an art form, and you must know when to bluff and if the bluff will be successful. Use the below tips to ensure your bluff wins you the pot.

• Make sure there is a significant enough amount in the pot to go after. You don't want to risk half your stack to win a small pot.

• Know who you are up against. There are several types of opponents at the table, such as the players who think anytime you bet you must have a huge hand and will always fold to you, and those who don't want to believe you could ever beat them and will call anything you bet. The first type of opponent you definitely want to bluff, and the second type you should avoid.

Advertisement - Continue Reading Below

• You want to have a nice balance between bluffing and not bluffing, and you actually should bluff less often than you think. The threat of being the type of player that is capable of making a solid bluff is very important, so when you have the goods, go for it and get paid off.

• When you are making a bluff you must know when to stop if it isn't working. When you have bet at the pot and you are raised and re-raised, the bluff is obviously not going to work. When you get resistance from your opponent, you have to be able to back away from the hand.

Types of men you may run into at the table:

The Protector — He looks at you like you are his mother, sister, or wife and couldn't ever imagine hurting you by taking a pot. You can bluff this type more often, you can tell when they have a hand, and they will actually sometimes even tell you to fold. Listen when they talk.

The Chauvinist — He is actually the player you want to play with the most. He hates you just because you are a woman. You love him because he won't give you any credit and thinks a girl could never know how to play a man's game. He hates the fact that a woman is sitting at his table and he wants his male-bonding time. He will try to bluff you, and you always want to have a hand against him because you will always be paid off in the end.

The Flirter — Sometimes he will act similar to the Protector, but he can also take on the characteristics of the Chauvinist, too. He may want to impress you with his superior poker skills, so he will bluff into you more often and may bet aggressively toward you as a way of trying to get to know you. Against this type of player you want to bet your hands for value, and you don't want to bluff into them too often because they can turn into a calling station (call every bet you make). The other type of Flirter may actually be a bit intimidated by you. You aren't going to make a whole bunch of money against him; you will bluff into him more often because he doesn't want you to lose a pot. He probably won't want to get involved in too many pots with you because he doesn't know how to react or act. You can raise his blinds more freely, as he will probably just want to give it up to you early.

Practice makes perfect:

Find a comfortable no-stakes environment to secretly hone your poker skills. Hands-On Mobile recently launched World Poker Tour Texas Hold 'Em 2, which lets you play online or on your cell phone, allowing you to practice on your couch or on your commute — anytime that is convenient to you. When you are ready, you can confidently settle into a poker table and stun the boys as you take all their chips. For more information, visitWPTMobile.net

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Marie Claire participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.